The present invention relates generally to a hand held tool for detecting leaks in pressurized air conditioning systems.
A frequent problem with pressurized refrigeration systems is a small refrigerant leak at a fitting, joint, or in a hose. One method for detecting the leak from the pressurized refrigeration system is to inject a fluorescent dye into the pressurized refrigeration system and then to use a UV/Blue (Ultra-Violet/Blue) light source to detect the dye and thus locate the leak site. Alternatively, the leak may be detected by using a halogen gas sensor (detector). Typically, a refrigerant leak is very difficult to detect and pinpoint when using only gas detector or when using only UV/Blue light. The nature of the refrigerant leak determines which method works best, thus the best method to use may not be known in advance. Traditional UV/Blue light sources are large and get hot under normal operating conditions. In a confined environment, such as an automobile, the use of a traditional UV/Blue light source can be a hazard in the confined quarters as well as difficult or impossible to use for fittings and hoses that are not easily accessible.
Therefore there is a need for a hand held leak detector which can be safely and easily operated in the confined quarters.
The present invention is a hand held refrigeration leak detector which provides single hand operation for a user while holding the main body of the detector. The flexible stalk is coupled to the main body and to a head containing an LED light source which provides spectral emissions in the UV to blue range.